Slack organises conversations into dedicated spaces called channels. Channels bring order and clarity to work – you can create them for any project, topic or team. With the right people and information in one place, teams can share ideas, make decisions and move work forwards.
Public vs private channels
In Slack, channels can be public or private.
- Public channels promote transparency and inclusivity. Any member of your workspace (but not guests) can view and join a public channel, giving everyone access to the same shared information. Messages or files posted in a public channel can be searched by other members of your workspace
- Private channels are for conversations that should not be open to all members. People must be added to a private channel by someone who’s already a member of the channel. Messages or files posted in a private channel can only be searched by members of that channel.
The #general channel
Every Slack workspace has a #general channel, which is the only channel that members (but not guests) are automatically added to and are unable to leave. This channel works best when it’s used for sharing workspace-wide announcements. The #general channel can’t be archived, deleted or converted to a private channel.
Channel tips and best practices
- Use public channels as much as possible to increase access to shared knowledge across your workspace.
- Make sure that the channels you create or maintain have a clear topic and description so that people understand what they’re used for. Learn more about organising work in channels.
- To help keep discussions organised, use threads. Learn some other ways to collaborate effectively in channels.
- Archive channels when they’re no longer needed.
- Public channels promote transparency and inclusivity. Any member of your workspace (but not guests) can view and join a public channel, giving everyone access to the same shared information. Messages or files posted in a public channel can be searched by other members of your workspace.
- Private channels are for conversations that should not be open to all members. People must be added to a private channel by someone who’s already a member of the channel. Messages or files posted in a private channel can only be searched by members of that channel.
